Have you ever wondered if ALA Midwinter is worth going to? While it might not seem as glamorous as ALA Annual, there are so many benefits involved.
Category: ALA Midwinter 2019
Intellectual Freedom for Youth at ALA Midwinter 2019
Librarians flocked to Seattle late last month, and there was plenty to talk about for those interested in intellectual freedom for children. Here are some of the highlights from meetings of the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee, ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and the Freedom to Read Foundation.
Unpacking Midwinter: Updates from the Midwinter ALSC Board Meetings & Other Meetings
Hello everyone! I hope that you are staying safe and warm wherever this post may find you. I also trust that those who attended Midwinter have finally all made it back home without further incident, particularly those of you who were stranded at airports waiting for flights, any flights, that would get you home. Since midwinter there has been considerable unpacking – literally and metaphorically. Some of you are unpacking suitcases full of books, posters, and other exciting finds from the exhibits, along with meeting notes and your conference clothes. Many people have also been unpacking all those thoughts swirling around in your head from networking, engaging sessions and keynotes, committee meetings, encounters with colleagues, and the barrage of online conversations related to the Youth Media Awards (YMAs) and the much needed conversations about walking the walk to ensure everyone is treated equitably and humanely. The latter stemming from multiple…
Putting it all together…
I volunteered to live blog during #alamw19 and attended some really great sessions that I wanted to share. But, I never got around to it. As my Mom would say, I’m still digesting everything I learned and everything I saw.
Seattle Sights #alamw19
I wrapped up the conference by seeing the Seattle sights, and I’m so glad that I had the chance to do so. So often, I have to fly back home before I can see much more than the conference center, but this time it worked out great. And really, having done this, I might make a real point of exploring every time, as I think that I sometimes forget to experience the amazing cities that we visit. This year, I was lucky to run into a dear friend from Chicago (I love it when you run into librarian friends at conference!), and we explored the city together. Of course, we saw the Space Needle, and it was incredible! The weather was fantastic, and we had so much fun looking at the city and trying to identify landmarks. We also had a chance to visit the Chihuly Gardens, located right near…
Let’s do better #alacouncil #alamw19
It’s a somber time at council this last day of #alamw19 We have been voting over the last few days to make the work of libraries more supportive for civil rights of diverse genders, disabilities, sustainability, and the social justice of fines at libraries, etc. All huge and giant issues for the library and the issues that we see in our daily lives of work. But, by now you may have heard that there was a violation of the code of conduct at an ALA Council forum on Monday afternoon. If not– check twitter. And this morning– more than 100 people are in this room– sitting in the aftermath of failing a person… and failing ourselves. If we can’t guarantee a safe space to discuss council issues for all people– not just the majority being white persons– I wonder how are we failing in our libraries? This is…
Goodbye Emerald City, Hello Polar Vortex #alamw19
I’ll be heading back to the Midwest tomorrow, where we’ll be seeing some of the coldest temperatures on record. While I’m not looking forward to that bitter cold, I am looking forward to getting back to serving my patrons. A conference always has that effect on me. I feel rejuvenated and hopeful, especially after the results of the YMAs. Merci Suarez Changes Gears is a book I’ve been plugging since it came out and I was so thrilled that it won the Newbery Medal. I am also a huge Neil Gaiman fan and am so pumped that he’ll be giving the 2020 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. I’ll also be doing a Mock Caldecott with staff as we did one last year and we all had a great time. Hello, Lighthouse, this year’s winner, was one of the titles I had set aside for our Mock Caldecott. Another highlight of…
Wrapping Up #alamw19
While my flight home might have been unexpectedly canceled, I still feel like I’m floating on air from #alamw19. It is a wonderful feeling being surrounded by fellow library lovers. You are never short of things to talk about while killing time waiting for a session or presentation to begin. A mentor once told me that the world, and the library world in particular, is a pretty small place, and I think I am beginning to understand what she meant. Just a few sentences into meeting a new person at #alamw19 and I find that we are connected in some way whether it be by our co-workers, professional service/committee work, other library friends, or just a shared adoration of a favorite book. It reminds me a little of the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game, with less Kevin Bacon and more librarians. Sometimes I have even found that I have…